2014 marks the 40th anniversary of Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon which opens The Royal Ballet Season on 26 September and also opens ROH Live Cinema on 16 October

2014 marks the 40th anniversary of Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon which opens The Royal Ballet Season on 26 September and also opens ROH Live Cinema on 16 October. Created in 1974, Manon is regarded as one of the great 20th century productions in the Royal Ballet repertory. The ballet is one of MacMillan’s best loved three act works, portraying the tragic love story of Manon Lescaut and Des Grieux, and is based on the novel by French writer Abbé Prévost.

Manon features the emotionally charged music of Jules Massenet, the sumptuous designs of Nicholas Georgiadis and is orchestrated by Martin Yates. MacMillan created the central roles of the avaricious Manon and her young lover Des Grieux on Antoinette Sibley and Anthony Dowell with David Wall as Manon’s scheming brother Lescaut. Many subsequent casts have excelled in these inspirational roles and forty years since its creation Manon remains a timeless classic. Debuts in the leading roles this Season include Natalia Osipova, Melissa Hamilton and Francesca Hayward as Manon, Vadim Muntagirov and Matthew Golding as Des Grieux, and Carlos Acosta as Lescaut. Marianela Nunez and Federico Bonelli open the season in the leading roles on 26 September and also perform in the Live Cinema stream on 16 October.

Made possible by generous philanthropic support from Celia Blakey, Peter Lloyd and the Royal Opera House Endowment Fund. Original production (1974) made possible by the Linbury Trust.

Manon Saturday 26 September – Saturday 1 November 2014, Royal Opera House